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Goliath Tracked Mine
The Leichte Ladungsträger SdKfz 302 (or 303) "Goliath", 'nicknamed '"Beetle Tank" by the Allies, was a remote-controlled demolition vehicle that was used by Germany during World War II. It was the lightest of the Landunsträger series, and the most commonly used of the three.. Description The Goliath was a small vehicle fitted with two 2.5 kW motors capable of propelling it at speeds of up to 10 km/h.http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=476 soldiers stands near a pile of discarded Goliaths. This demonstrates the vast numbers to which the remote-controlled bomb was produced.]] The Goliath was controlled by a team of operators with a joystick which connected to the Goliath via a three wire, 653 meter cable that allowed for relatively straight-forward controls such as left, right, forward, and detonation. The cable was wrapped around a spool inside the vehicle behind the motors. The explosive was contained in forwardmost compartment. The Goliath had a total weight of about 370 kilograms, with an explosive weight of 60 kilograms. The vehicle's total length meanwhile was 1.5 meters and 0.56 meters in height. Because of the Goliath's heavy weight and large size, it required transport by trailer, a trailer that was often towed by the SdKfz 2 Kettenkrad. As far as armor was concerned, the Goliath was given a limited 5 mm of steel plate, an amount that was hardly enough to protect even against small arms fire. Tactically, the Goliath's use was limited considering how easily it could be knocked out before it could be used. History engineer with a DUKW examining an abandoned Goliath shortly after D-Day.]] The SdKfz 302 began its development following the German capture of a similar French prototype in 1940 created by engineer Adolphe Kegresse. The task fell to Borgward of Bremen to create the vehicle. After some years of design, prototyping, and evaluation, the Goliath was accepted into German production in April 1942. Considering that the Goliath was intended to be destroyed, the expensive electrical motors used with the SdKfz 302 "E-Motor" were a clear choice for replacement, paving the way for the SdKfz 303 "V-Motor"'s introduction in April 1943. soldiers preparing a Goliat during the Warsaw Uprising.]] In practice, Goliaths were often used against Allied vehicles, notably in Anzio and Normandy, however the results were mixed. Goliaths were fielded again in the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, when Polish troops discovered that the vehicle's control cables could be cut. The action of severing the Goliath from its joystick rendered it completely useless.http://www.historynet.com/goliath-tracked-mine-the-beetle-that-started-the-rov-craze.htm In all, some 7,500 Goliaths were built during World War II. Variants *'SdKfz 302 "E-Motor":' The original variant with a 60kg explosive charge, 5mm of mild steel armor and the expensive dual-fitted electric motors. This version could reach 10 km/h on roads, and had a range of 1.5 kilometers. *'SdKfz 303a "V-Motor":' A variant fitted with a cheaper Zundapp 2-cylinder Gasoline engine. This version was much larger and better fit for all-terrain use. It featured an improved operational range of 12 kilometers on roads, as well as a new top speed of 12km/h. The explosive charge was increased to 75 kilograms and armor was increased to 10 mm of mild steel. http://www.achtungpanzer.com/leichte-ladungstrager-goliath-sdkfz303a-sdkfz303b-v-motor.htm *'SdKfz 303b "V-Motor":' This version possessed a new 100 kg payload for its explosive charge. References Category:Demolition Vehicles Category:German Vehicles